Missile nose fuze



Feb. 10, 1959 w; J. DONAHUE, JR., TAL 2,872,868

MISSILE NOSE FUZE Filed July 11, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 III Feb. 10, 1959 W. J. DONAHUE, JR., ETAL 2,872,868

'l MISSILE NOSE FUZE Filed July 11, 1955 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS O D. JE WL locking balls 32, 33, and 34 which lock the slideable sleeve system in an initial telescoped condition and upon displacement from said recesses, by the camming action resulting from the effect of spring 48 on lsleeve 23, allow for the timed expansion of the telescoped slideable sleeve system.

The operation of the fuze will now Vbe described.

In safety position, the fuze mechanism is in the position shown in Figs. l and 2 wherein the explosive train, or spit channel, from the primer to the booster charge is interrupted by the out of alignment position of the detonator therewith, thereby preventing firing of the fuze by any means.

Upon launching of the missile, and during the period of acceleration, the inertial sleeve is displaced rearward, and upon the cessation of acceleration, is returned to a rotated forward position by the action of spring 29 and the escapement mechanism action previously described. Upon return to a rotated forward position port`27 is aligned with complementary apertures 16, 61, and 64,

g wherein locking ball 32 is disposed, and by means of the camming action previously described, locking ball 32 is forced outward into recess 57 thereby unlocking the slideable sleeve system from its initial safe telescoped position.

Upon unlocking of the telescoped slideable sleeve system the delay arming period of the fuze is initiated, during which period, the sleeve sys-tem begins a unitary forward movement as a result of the action of expansion spring 48 on inner slide sleeve 23 which action is transmitted through the locking balls to the other slide sleeves of the system. The forward movement of the sleeve system is timed, or metered, by the resistance offered by timing washer 7, which is composed of lead, plastic, or other similar material suitable for the purpose, to the shearing effect or intrusion of the tapered blade 53 mounted in tiring plunger 8 which is secured to the outer slide Sleeve of the sleeve system. Prior to the expiration- 'of this period, contact of the fuze with a target would not detonate the fuze because such contact would jamsleeve 19 against locking ball 34 thereby preventing displacement of detent ball 34 and constraining primer 24 from contact with firing pin'SZ.

The delay arming period of the fuze continues until the timed forward movement of the sleeve system causes locking ball 34 to register with apertures 63 and 18 whereupon the locking ball is forced outward into recess 58 as shown in Fig. 3 by the'previously Vdescribed cam-ming action. Stem 42 thereupon withdraws from recess 49 of the arming rotor and the rotor is rotated to an armed position as shown 'in Fig. 4 by spring 37 thereby aligning detonator 11 with the explosive train and rendering it continuous from the primer 24 to the booster charge 12. The fuze is n ow armed and will re upon contact with a target by reason of the transmission of the contact impulse through the percussion head 5 and plastic striker 6 to sleeve 19 thereby driving the sleeve aft until aperture 62 registers with apertures 65 and 68 within which locking ball 33 is disposed. -Upon registering, locking ball 3.3 is forced outward into recess l58 vby camming action whereupon slide sleeve 23 is driven rapidly forward by expansive spring 48 until .primer 24, disposed therein, contacts firing pin 52.and is actuated thereby to fire the fuze. t

In the event that no target has been encountered by the fuze during its armed period, which period is predetermined by the rate of penetration of blade 53 into timing washer '7, the slide sleeve system continues its metered forward Vmovement until detent ball 33 registers with aperture 62 and is forced outward into recess S6-by camming action thereupon freeing sleeve 23 to be driven rapidly forward as previously described. The fuze is thus self destructing in the event no target is enountered during its effective trajectory.

Although the time required for the forward travel of sleeve 23 to bring the primer disposed therein into tiring contact with the tiring pin after Contact of the fuze with al target may result in sufficient time delay to cause the desired degree of target penetration before firing of the fuze, it is apparent that a greater degree of target penetration may be effected lby the interposition of shearing wire, or washer 59 to sleeve 22vto require shearing thereof.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to `be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as new and desired Ito be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A nose fuze for a missile comprising a fuze casing adapted to be secured to the missile; an arming rotor rotatably supported within said casing in an initially safe position and being rotatable to an armed position; a slideable sleeve system axially supported within said casing in an initially telescoped condition for maintaining said arming rotor in a safe position and for allowing rotation of said rotor to an armed position upon expansion thereof, said system including an inner slide sleeve, an intermediate slide sleeve conformingly encircling said inner slide sleeve, an an outer slide sleeve conformingly encircling said intermediate slide sleeve, each of said slide sleeves having a plurality of recesses formed thereon and initially in telescoped relationship with each other, resilient means acting on said slideable sleeve system and tending to expand the telescoped slideable sleeve system, a plurality of detent balls disposed in said recesses for maintaining said system in a telescoped condition until discrete displacement of said detent balls from said recess'es, and camming means for displacing said detent balls thereby allowing the expansion of said telescoped system iby said resilient means; inertial safety means for locking said system in said initial telescoped condition until the missile is launched; intrusively coacting means for effecting a predetermined metered expansion of said system upon release thereof from said initial telescoped condition; and detonating means for firing said fuze when said arming rotor is in said armed position.

2. A nose fuze according to claim l, wherein said inertial safety means includes an inertial sleeve slideably encircling said slideable sleeve system and having a port and a guide pin formed thereon, resilient means bearing on said inertial sleeve for maintaining it in an initial forward postion, complementary recesses in said sleeve system out of alignment with said port when said inertial sleeve is in'said initial forward position, a detent ball disposed in said recesses for locking said sleeve system, an escapement mechanism for allowing rearward movement of said inertial sleeve in response to a predetermined inertial force and for causing return of said yinertial sleeve to a rotated forward position thereby to align said port with said recesses, and camming means for displacing said detent ball upon alignment of said port and said recesses thereby to unlock said slideable sleeve system.

3. An escapement mechanism according to claim 2 comprising a V-grooved cam surface formed on said slideable sleeve system, a guide pin on said inertial sleeve coacting with said grooved surface and adapted to run therein, said V-grooved surface having a pair of smooth branches and a zig zag arm contiguous with one of said smooth branches and within which said guide pin is initially disposed, said zig zag branch being adapted to limit rapid movement of said guide pin therein, said guide pin adapted to run rearward through said zig zag arm and one of said smooth branches to the vertex of said V-groove upon subjection of the fuze to an inertial force of4 a predetermined magnitude and duration thereby to rotate the inertial sleeve in its rearward movement, a recess formed in said surface at said vertex and so disposed as to guide the guide pin into the second smooth branch of said V-groove upon cessation of said inertial force thereby to additionally rotate said inertial sleeve upon return thereof to said rotated forward position.

4. A nose fuze according to claim 1, wherein said slideable sleeve system further includes a. firing member axially secured to said outer slide sleeve and comprising an elongated slotted stem, a tapered blade disposed in said slotted stem, resilient means tending to impart forward movement to said outer slide sleeve, detent means normally opposing the forward movement of said outer slide sleeve, a plurality of fixed sleeves encircling said outer slide sleeve, a washer secured to the forward portion of one of said fixed sleeves in a transverse position and having a bore centrally disposed therethrough and of less diameter than the width of said blade, said washer being in spaced alignment with said ring member and adapted to be cut by said blade and thereby oppose the movement of the blade therethrough, and camming means for displacing said detent means for allowing forward movement of said outer slide sleeve and firing member by said resilient means at a rate determined by the op position of said washer to said movement of the blade.

5. A delay arming mechanism for an ordnance fuse comprising a fuze casing having a bore axially formed therein, a permeable member transversely secured within the forward portion of said bore, a slideable sleeve sys- J tem arranged within said bore in a normally locked telescoped condition for maintaining the fuze unarmed, said system being spring biased for expansion in a forwardly direction upon unlocking thereof thereby effecting arming of said fuze, an inertial member slidably encircling said system for effecting locking thereof and in response to a predetermined inertial force for effecting unlocking of said system, and an intrusive member driven by said sleeve system and in operative engagement with said permeable member for effecting a metered expansion of said sleeve system upon unlocking thereof by penetration of said permeable member by said intrusive member.

6. A delay arming and self destruction mechanism for an ordnance fuze comprising a fuze casing having a bore axially formed therein, an arming rotor having a detonator disposed therein and rotatably arranged in said bore in an initially releasably-locked unarmed condition and being rotatable to an armed position upon release thereof, a shearable washer transversely secured within said bore, an arming system arranged in said bore for effecting .locking and release of said arming rotor, said system including a plurality of encircling sleeves normally locked in telescoped relationship with each other and being adapted to be expanded into an extended relationship upon unlocking thereof, means* including an inertial sleeve and a plurality of detents operatively engaging said system for effecting the locking and discrete unlocking thereof, a primer disposed in one sleeve of said'system and being in operational alignment with said detonator upon vrelease of said rotor, and a ring pin affixed to another sleeve of said system in spaced alignment with said primer and having a cutting edge formed thereon, said pin being adapted to shearably engage said washer upon unlocking of said sleeve system by said means thereby to effect a metered expansion of said system until said pin engages said primer for effecting ignition thereof and of said detonator.

7. An impact responsive ordnance fuze comprising a fuze casing having an axial bore formed therein, an arming rotor having a detonator therein arranged in said bore, said rotor being normally releasably-locked in an unarmed position and being rotatable to an armed position upon release thereof, a stationary sleeve axially arranged within said bore and having a shearable member secured to the forward end thereof, a slideable sleeve system axially arranged within said stationary sleeve, said system including a plurality of conformingly encircling coaxial sleeves normally locked in a telescoped condition for electing locking of said arming rotor and for rendering the fuze unresponsive to target impact and being expandable for releasing said arming rotor and for rendering said fuze responsive to target impact, system locking means including an inertial sleeve encircling said stationary sleeve and a plurality of detent balls operatively engaging said coaxial, stationary and inertial sleeves for locking said sleeve system in said telescoped condition and for effecting discrete expansion thereof in response to an inertial force of predetermined magnitude, resilient means in operative engagement with one of said coaxial sleeves for effecting a forwardly expansion of said sleeve system upon release thereof, a primer disposed in said one coaxial sleeve in operational spaced relationship with said detonator upon release of said arming rotor, and a tiring member axed to another of said coaxial sleeves in operational spaced alignment with said primer, said firing member having a cutting surface formed thereon for shearably engaging said shearable member upon expansion of said sleeve system thereby eifecting a time expansion thereof for rendering said fuze responsive to target impact and for effecting self destruction of said fuze in the absence of target impact by electing engagement of said tiring member with said primer thereby igniting said primer and said detonator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 790,401 Semple May 23, 1905 972,425 Wilson Oct. 11, 1910 2,243,621 Denoix May 27, 1941 2,446,745 Delay Aug. 10, 1948 2,595,757 Brandt May 6, 1952 2,625,881 Rabinow Jan. 20, 1953 2,685,253 Apotheloz Aug. 3, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 257,335 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1926 40,639 France Apr. 26, 1932 

